Noel statham



@SePt- 17, 1929- N. STATHAM FSTENER OPERATING DEVICE Original Filed March 28. 1919 Ressued Sept.- 17, 1929 PATENT oFFlcE.

y ll'olliilfa4 STATHAM, OF IBVINGTON-UPON-HUDSON, NEW YORK FASTENER-OPERATING DEVICE Original No. 1,480,027,1dated January 8, 1924, Serial No. 285,881, led Iareh 28, 1919. Application for, 1 .reissue flied December 12, 1925. Serial No. 75,129.

This invention relates especially to operating devices for quickly and effectivelyv closing or opening snap fasteners of varlous kinds .which may be secured in a closely spaced row or series to the edges of garment or other fabric members or to special tapes or strips adapted for application to garments or other articles. A closing or operating device may be detaehably or permanently as- 10 sociated with such a strip or row of fasteners and may comprise a separator formed with guide grooves or directing means for the dlfferent fastener elements so that in connectionA with cooperating guiding means suitably associated with the vseparator in any desired way as by being in the form of closing plates or guides on each side of the separator, the snap or other fasteners passing through the device may be progressively brought together and locked when the closing device is moved in one direction alongl the seam. When the operatingpdevice is moved in the `opposite d1- reetion the wedging portions or members y which are preferably formed on the separatorD are forced between the cooperating units of a-fastener sov as to loosen and then progres sively separate them as the operating devlce moves along the seam.

' In the accompanying drawing showing 1n a. somewhat diagrammatic way illustrative ein:I bodiments of this invention: t

Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic elevation show mg a set ofl hese fasteners and operating devlces used in connection with an automobile curtain. i

Fig. 2 is an enlarged sectional view showing the operating device arranged so that downward movement opens the assoclated fasteners. l

Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional view taken substantially along the line 3-3 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a similar sectional View taken along the line 4-4 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 5 is a sectional view showing a modiiiedy form of construction. l

6 is an enlargedl side view showing a modified arrangement. y

Fig. 7 is a corresponding side sectional view thereof.A

For purposes 0f illustration this deviceJ is shown in connection with an automobile curtain to the edges of which the rows or series of fastener elements may be secured, the socket elements 4 of the fasteners being shown as arranged on the outer element 2 of the curtain 55 seam, while the male or head elements of the fasteners may be arranged on the inner cur tain member 3 as is shown more in detail in Figs. 3 and 6. The operating device 45 may comprise a separator 5 of brass or other suitable metal which as indicated in Fig. 3 may be formed with a head groove 28 adapted to accommodate and more or less guide the fastener heads 20, while on the other side of this separator and beyond the connecting web 14 thereof a socket groove 16 is preferably formed of such size as to properly accommodate the socket elements of the fastener, al though, if desired, this lateral guiding action may be more or less effected by guiding members or ribs, such as 17, on the outer guides or plates, such as 13. Guide grooves for the fastener units or elements may advantageously be somewhat wider at the receiving end of the operating device so as to take care of slightly irregular positions of the fasteners and the grooves may gradually narrow tvo-V ward the other end of the device so as to bring the fastener elements into proper alignment with each other as they are progressively forced together into holding or locking position. vThis is indicated in a somewhat dia- V'grammatic way in Fig. 6 in connection with the socket groove 16. Furthermore, as indicated in Fig. 2 the closing plates or guides 12, 13 which may advantageously be formed of spring brass or other suitable material preferably of a somewhat resilient character may have flaring portions or entrance guides at each end as indicated at 22. The closing action of the operating device is indicated in Fig. 7 and as there shownlthe head and socket fastener elements on the ,seam edges 2,3 are received in the iaring openings of the operating device so as to be guided by the grooves thereon, and are thus brought into substantial axial alignment with each other as they are gradually forced together by the more or less resilient pressure of the closing guides 12, 13

en the studs, ,and @stets en the Sides' 1 -tains for example.

i 'handle to' suitable s 26 as shown inV Fig.

one of the of these seam edges or other seam elements. Fig. 2 shows the openingmovement of the arator between the cooperatingelements of a fastener so as to begin this opening movement and separate the parts suiiiciently so that the progressively thickened web portion 14 can finally pass ments. Y y

The operating device is preferably given sufficient length so that several fasteners are engaged simultaneously which promotes the certainty and reliability of its closing and opening action. The' length of the device as shown in Figs. 2 and 6 is sufficient so that at least two fasteners are always in engagement therewith and thus the faction of the sheet metal fastener elements may be relied upon to hold the parts in closed or locked position. For many purposes it is desirable to have operating handles arranged on the fastener operating device and as indicated in Figs. 2 and 3 handles 23, 27 may in some cases be arranged on both sides of the operating device sothat it can be actuated from either side of the ,same which is of course. advantageous in the case of automobile cur- It is sometimes desirable'A handles foldably also to have these operatin or otherwise movably or etachably secured to the operating device and for this purpose a pivot or connecting pin 24 may secure the lugs or-ears, such as 40, whlch may be secured to the closing plates or guides 12, 13. A tight engagement between this pin and the handle may in some cases hold it sufficiently in any adjusted position,

although it is usually desirable to have a special holding device such as the holding spring 3 whichv may engage any integral with the operating device, as shownin Fig. 5. The operating device 33 may comprise integrally or securely connected closing between the twol fastener' ele-4 entering fastener y lelement is more effectively guided into proper Y squared or polygonal faces of. Athls operating handle so as toresiliently hold cent fasteners 4. l1 line With each other which facilitates the subplates 35, 37 heldin proper 'alignment with a separator 36 of any suitable form so as to form an E sectioned operating device and properly cooperate with the fastener supports or similar members 31,1 32d. In this instance one of the fastener supports 32 is preferably relatively rigid or stiff, and may be a strip of sheet brass or other metal screwed or otherwise secured to a frame member or supporting device 29 in connection with oneof the fabric -edges 30. Thus the two sets of cooperating fastener units 4, 11 are connected to seam members or fastener supports having edges extending in the same direct-ion instead of in opposite directions as in the case ofthe fabric curtains or members shown in Figs. 1 to 4. If desired the outer members of this operating device may be formed with lateral guide portions or members, mote the lateral alignment of the fastener elements passing through the device. In some cases, also, it is desirable to have edge beads orl more orl less continuous enlargements formed on one or both of such seam members, as 42, 43, and in such cases additional guiding devices 41l may be formed on the operating device soas to suiiciently Ienclose these enlarged or beaded edge portions to ensure the proper lateral alignment of the connected seam members as they'move through the operating device. In such cases it is not always necessary to have the snap or other fasteners so closely spaced on the seam, fabricor other member and the operating devi-ce need not have such great length along .the seam, which A1s advantageous 1n some connections.'

For many purposes it is'desirable to use suitable initial aligning means to bring the cooperating fastener units into proper alignment, especially in the case of garmentseams or'such seams as sometimes occur in automobile curtains Where one of the curtain elements isadapted to be bodily removed. In such cases it is advantageous to have initial aligning fastener elements such as 7, 10, which may be arranged at the top or bottom of the seam or both, so that it may be initially fastened by hand and thus bring the adjacent fastener elements into substantially proper alignment with each other and with the operating device for closing or opening them. As seen in connection with Fig. 6, the initial fastener may be a snap fastener or special or distinctive shape or large size, and when the two elements 7, 10 lof this fastener are brought together the seam edges are thus brought into properly overlapping position and the adjaare also substantially in se uent closing and locking thereof.- In order to eep the operating device 45 in engagement with one Set of t-he fastener units it is desirable to' provide an aligning guide fastener or device, such as 6, 8 at one or both ends of one of the rows of fastener units so that, for exsuch as V38, 39, to prounit on the other seam element which corresponds to such an aligning guide member as 6 and thus when the initial aligning elements 7, 10 are closed and locked together by hand the operating device 45 whichV is then naturally closely adjacent this end of the row of fastener elements may have the edge of the other seam ele-ment 3 simultaneously slipped` into the same so that the headed fastener elements l1 on this side of the seam may then be readily engaged by the fastener and closed and locked as the fastener is rapidly moved down the seam to the other end in closing the seam. The reverse movement of the operating device naturally separates and opens the fasteners and when the entire row of fastener units 4, 11 is opened the fastener operating device 45 is closely adjacent or in contact with the initial aligning fastener elements 7 so that the operators hand can conveniently engage this fastener unit and disengage it from the cooperating fastener until 10 Where the seam elements are to be separated or removed. For some purposes it is desirable to make the aligning guidedevice 6 of special form or character so that it has sufficient resilience toyieldingly retain the operating member in engagement therewith and as shown in Fig. 7

this aligning member 6 may be of speciall size and construction and may, if desired, have a spring yielding portion Li6 adapted to sufficiently engage the separator l'so as to .retain the parts in substantially thisl position until the operating device is to be used again as in closing the fastener units.

` This invention has been described in connection with a number of illustrative embodiments, forms, proportions, sizes, parts, materials, arrangements, and methods of manufacture and use, closure the invention is not of course to be limited, since what is claimed as new and what is desired to be secured by Letters Patent is set forth in the appended claims. It

may here be stated that the manipulating r handles or pulls 23 and 27 yare each shown to be pivota ly attached to the operating device 45 at a pivot located substantially midway ofthe length 'of the guide grooves, the pivot for each of said handles being shown as being located at one side of the operating device and substantially centrally thereof.

the operating device. remains in ento the details of which dis- Expressed in other Words, the pull device is pivotally secured to one of the plates of the operating device, which is spaced front and rear plates, at such a point as to confine the actuating force to substan- .tially the intermediate or central portion of the operating device. That is, the pull device is pivoted between the diverging channels adjacent one of the wings making up the slider, means being provided for holding such wings against spreading, the pull being preferably pivoted to such means, whereby the actuating force is substantially confined to substantially the intermediate .portion of the slider.

What IV claim as my invention is 1. In seam fasteners, a pair of seam elements having thereon adjacent the seam edges rows of cIosely spaced cooperating snap fastener elements, a fastener operating device permanently held in engagement with one of said rows of fastener elements and formed with a separator having grooves and with cooperating guides on each side ofv said separator to hold said fastener units in engagement with the grooves in said sepaflexible rator and effect their substantial lateral ly spaced cooperating snap fastener elements,

a fastener operating device in engagement with one of said rows of fastener elements and formed with means to effect their substantial lateral alignment as the units of' each fastener are gradually forced togetherV during the closing movement of said operating device, said operating device having operating handles movably mounted on each side of the same and holding means cooperating with said handles to yieldingly hold them in folded or in projecting operating position.

. 3. In seam fasteners, a pair of flexible seam elements having thereon rows of closely spaced cooperating snap fastener elements, a fastener operating device formed with means to eect their substantial lateral alignment as lthe units of each fastener are gradually forced together during the closing movement of said operating device, said operating 'device having operating handles movably mounted on each side ofthe same and adapted to remain in operating position.

4. In seam fasteners, a fastener operating device formed with a separator and with cooperating guides on each side o f said sepafolded or in projecting llO CII

rator to hold snap fastener units in engagement with said separator and effect their substantial alignment as the units of each fastener are gradually forced together during the closing movementl of said operating device, said operating device having an operating handle movably mounted on the same and a holding spring cooperating with said han- 'dle to yieldingly hold the handle in folded. o in projecting operating position. f

5. lIn seamfasteners,a fastener operating device formed with guides to effect their sub` stantial alignment as the units of each fastener are gradually forced together during the closing movement of said operating de- ,lvice, said operating device having an operating handle movably mounted on the same and means to yieldingly hold the handle in folde'd or in projecting operating position.

6. In seam fasteners, a pair of fabric seam elements each having thereon adjacent the seam edge a row of closely spaced cooperat- I ing fastener elements, an initial aligning fastener element adjacent one end of each of said rows, an initial guide member between one of said initial aligning fastener elements and the adjacent fastener element of the row,

, and a fastener operating device permanently held in engagement with one of said rows of fastener elements and formed with a separator and with cooperating guides to hold said :seam edge a row of closely spaced cooperating snap fastener elements, an initial .aligning fastener element adjacent one end of each of said rows, and a fastener operating device permanently held in engagement with one of said rows of snap fastener elements and formed with cooperatin'glgllides to hold said -fastener units and effect their substantial lateral alignment as theunits of each fastener are gradually forced together during the closing movement of said operating devlce.

8. In seam fasteners, a pair of flexible seam elements each having thereon adjacent the seam edge a row of ,closely spaced cooperating fastener elementsfto4 be engaged and opened and closed successively by a asteneroperating device, an initial aligning manually operated fastener element adjacent one end ofl each of said rows and an initial guide member between one of said initial aligning fastener elements andthe adjacent fastener element of the row to resiliently engage said operating device. f

9. In seam fasteners, a pair of flexible seam elements each having thereon adjacent the seam edge a row of cooperating snap fastener elements to be engaged and opened and closed successively by a fastener operating device, and an initial aligning fastener element adjacent one end of each of said rows. f

10. In seam fasteners, a pair of seam elements cach having thereon a row of cooperating snap fastener elements adapted to be en gaged and opened and closed successively by a fastener operating device and an aligning fastener element having a distinctive size or Y shape as compared to the other elements and located in each of said rows.

11. 'In seam fasteners, a pair 0f seam elements each having thereon a row of cooperating snap fastener elements, an S-sectioned fastener operating device adapted to be permanently held in engagement with a row of snap fastener elements and formed with a grooved separator andwith cooperating closing guides oneach side of said separator to.

push said fastener units into engagement with the grooves in said separator and elfect their substantial alignment during the movement of said operating device, said separator having lateral wedging separating portions to effect the initial separation of the cooperating fastener units in opening the same.

12. In seam fasteners, an S-sectioned fastener operating device' adapted to be permanently held in engagement with a row of snap fastener elements and formed with a grooved separator y and. with cooperating guides on each side of said separator to hold said fastener units in engagement with the grooves in said separator and' effecttheir substantial alignment diiring the movement 0f said operating device. 1

Y 13. In seam fasteners, a seam element having thereon adjacent the seam edge a row of closely spaced snap fastener elements, and a fastener operating device permanently held in engagement with said row of fastener elements and formed with a grooved separator y and with guides on each side of said separator to'hold such fastener units in engagementy with Athe grooves in said separator and effect their substantial lateral alignment during the movement of said 'operating device, said separator having a wedging separating portion to effect the initial lseparation of the cooperating fastener units in opening the same.

14. Inseam fasteners, an S-sectioned fastener operating device formed with a separa-V toryand with cooperating resilient guiding and closing devices on each side of said separator to holdk snap fastener units in substantial engagement with's'aid separator and effect their substantial alignment as the units of each fastener-are gradually forced together during the closing movement of said operating device, said operating device having an operating handle. a

` operating device.

15. In seam fasteners, a fastener operating 'device formed with a se arator and with cooperating resilient gui ing and closing .de-

vices on each side of said separator to hold v snap fastener units in substantial alignment as the units. of each fastener are forced together during the closing movement of said each side of said separator to hold the fas-v tener units in cooperation with said separator and effect their substantial alignment during the movement of said operating device.

17. In seam fasteners, a fastener operating device adapted to cooperate with a row of snap fastener units and formed with a separator having a groove adapted to accommodate the projecting' heads of the male fastener units and with cooperating guides on each side of said separator to hold the fastener units in cooperation with said separator and effect their substantial alignment during the movement of said operating device. y 18. In seam fasteners of the kind having rows of cooperable fastener elements, a fastener operating device havin guide grooves for each row of fastener e ements, and a manipulating handle pivotally attached to the said operati-ng device, the ivot on said i handle being located substantially midway of the length of the guide grooves.

ing movement of said operatin device and for forcing cooperating snap astener elements apart durin said operating device.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification this 30th day of November, 1925.

` NOEL STATHAM.

19. In seam fasteners of the kind having'v rows of cooperable fastener elements, a fastener operating device having guide. grooves for each row of fastener elements, and a manipulating handle pivotally attached to the said operating device, the pivot for said handle being located on oneside of said operating device and substantially centrally thereof.

20. In seam fasteners of the kind having opposed rows of cooperable fastener elements, an operating device having diverging chan-` nels therein for the. reception of the respective rows of fastener elements, said device comprising spaced front and rear plates, and a pull device pivotally secured to one of said plates at a point such as to confine the acti;- ating force'to substantially the intermediate portion of the operating device.

21. In seam fasteners,a air of flexible seam elements each having t ereon ad'aoent the seam edge thereof a row of space snap fastener elements, the flexible seam elements l being adapted to be placed in overlapping relation in the locking position of said fastener elements, in combination with a fastener operating device slidably mounted on said' seam element for forcing cooperating snap fastenerelements together during the losy the opening movement of sol vum 

